


Of Interruptions and Complications

by asdfjkl



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Fluff without Plot, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-03-07 18:46:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3179180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asdfjkl/pseuds/asdfjkl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A quick peek into a future where Asami really, really wishes people learned how to knock. Set several years after the finale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Interruptions and Complications

**Author's Note:**

> So sappy, you'll wanna puke. You've been warned.

Varrick was a man with a mission. An _important_ man with an _important_ mission. Well, everything he did was important, actually, but this was even more so! Which was why he was here at Future Industries Tower, marching toward the office of his archrival and occasional business partner to swallow his pride and ask for her help.

He swiftly bypassed the secretary stationed outside Asami’s door, choosing not to hear the man’s cry of “Hey! You can’t see Ms. Sato without an appointment—” and flung the door open with a flourish.

“Asami!” He turned on his most charming smile and directed it right at her. Asami, on her part, gasped and sat bolt upright in her chair. There was a loud thump on the underside of her desk.

“Varrick! What are you doing here?” She snapped, out of breath and cheeks bright red.

Varrick’s smile morphed into a smirk at her visible shock. No doubt she’d been snoozing on the job, eh? No shame in that, he did it all the time, but Asami didn’t strike him as the type to allow herself naps. “I didn’t catch you doing something you shouldn’t be doing, did I?”

“W-what? Of course not!”

“I’m going to ignore that obvious lie, because I need your help.” He held up the set of blueprints he’d been hiding behind his back, scrolls unfurling until they hit the floor. “Picture this—a machine that can automatically run and process data based on the logarithmic equations we give it! You’d be able to calculate anything you can think of, and even things you can’t! Or imagine a world where everyone is connected to a communal database of knowledge—I’m talking about instant communication and information! Someone in the Fire Nation could become friends with someone from the Southern Water Tribe—without them ever meeting! And what about—”

“Yeah, Varrick, sounds great, I’m in,” Asami interrupted. “Give the blueprints to my assistant outside and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Now if you don’t mind, I’m kind of busy right now and—” Her words suddenly cut off with a gasp.

“I know, the whole idea is gasp-worthy! Now I understand that it’ll take you a while to wrap your head around the sheer genius of the concept—wait, what?” Varrick paused his rehearsed rebuttal as Asami’s words sunk in. “You’re in? No arguing, no telling me I’m wrong?”

“No, no, I think you’ve really got something to work with here,” Asami said through clenched teeth.

Varrick scratched his head. “Well, I have to say, it was easier to convince you than I thought. I allotted myself three hours today to talk to you about this—”

Asami’s eyes widened. “No! You can’t be in here for three hours!” She blurted out before hastily composing herself. “I mean, it’s late, Varrick. I hate to be rude, but I’m about to head home and you should be, too.”

“Sure, sure, get some rest,” Varrick agreed. “Tomorrow we’re going to revolutionize the entire field of technology, kid!”

Asami’s hands were curled in a death grip around the armrests of her chair and she had a glazed look in her eyes. “Wonderful, great! Now if you don’t mind—”

“Asami!” Another voice called out behind Varrick, prompting another frustrated outburst of “You can’t see Ms. Sato without an appointment!” from the secretary.

Asami looked like the time when Bolin and Korra had replaced all her favorite tools with squeaky rubber versions as a prank—angry, annoyed, and ready to use an electric glove on someone. “Mako.”

“Hey, I thought you’d be here working late tonight, with Korra being gone and all.” Mako gave Varrick a terse nod before smiling at her.

“Great job, very astute detective work,” she growled.

Mako blinked at the uncharacteristic strain in her voice. “Uh, you okay, Asami? You seem tense.”

“I’m—” She closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. Several awkward seconds trickled by before her eyes snapped open again. “I’m…busy.”

Mako raised an eyebrow. “Oh…kay? Sorry about the interruption, then. I’m just dropping off a letter from Beifong—Chief wants to know if you can supply us with more vehicles. There’s been a wave of new recruits ever since Korra took her no-tolerance stance against the gangs of the city—”

“Hey! Why isn’t Beifong asking me?” Varrick poked Mako’s chest angrily.

“Ow, stop that! Maybe it’s because your company doesn’t _make_ cars.”

“Well, _now_ I will, and they’ll be the best police vehicles the Republic City Police Department will _never_ have!”

“Guys, really, it’s good to see you—well, Mako, at least—but I’m really busy right now and I’m going to have to ask you both to leave,” Asami attempted sternly, her voice cracking on the last word.

“Whoa-o-o-oh, there’s a party going on in Asami’s office and I wasn’t invited?” A third voice chimed in, drowning out a weak “You can’t see Ms. Sato without—”

“Shang! Stop letting people into my office! You’re fired!” Asami shouted at her hapless assistant before biting her lip and groaning quietly. Mako raised an eyebrow at her uncharacteristic loss of temper.

“There’s my box office magnet! Long time no see, kid!” Varrick threw his arm around Bolin.

“What? We’ve just worked on a mover together all day today.”

Mako fixed Asami with a calculating stare. “Seriously, what is _up_ with you right now?”

“Something’s up with Asami?” Bolin asked, ducking out of Varrick’s headlock and looking at her with concern.

“Nothing’s up with me except for everyone barging in here like they own the place!” Asami said angrily, if not breathlessly.

Bolin shrank back like a kicked polar bear-dog puppy. “Sorry, Asami, I was just wondering if you wanted to grab some dinner with me tonight.”

“Thanks for the invite, bro,” Mako said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

“Yeah, what he said,” Varrick added.

Bolin shrugged at Mako, ignoring Varrick completely. “Well, it’s just, you know, since Opal’s on a mission and Korra’s doing Avatar-y stuff in the Fire Nation, us abandoned lovers should stick together! You still have the love of your life with you, Mako, you wouldn’t understand.”

Mako’s eyebrows nearly flew off his face. “Who’s the love of my life?”

“Your job, duh.”

Asami sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry, Bolin, I guess I’m just— _frustrated_.” The last word was said rather pointedly and seemingly at no one in particular. Mako narrowed his eyes, glancing around the room to see what the flameo was making Asami act so strangely.

“No worries, Asami, I know you’re a busy lady! Soooo is that a ‘yes’ to dinner, or should I ask—”

“SPIRITS!” Mako and Bolin jumped, while the sound of breaking glass came from where Varrick had been poking at something on Asami’s shelf and dropping it at her sudden outburst.

“I should ask the spirits to dinner?” Bolin frowned. “I don’t think they eat human food. Asami, are you okay? You look awful.”

Asami sucked in a deep breath and managed a dry laugh. “Thanks, Bolin.”

“No, don’t get me wrong, you look great! You always look great! But, I mean, your hair’s all messy and your lipstick’s all smudged and your clothes are all rumpled—” Bolin rambled on and on.

Mako studied Asami’s flushed face and how she avoided eye contact with everyone. He had the overwhelming feeling that he was missing something very important. “Asami, are you sick?” He probed.

“A-actually, yes! Yes, I think so!” She punctuated the sentence with a loud cough. “I think I’m coming down with the dragon flu.”

“Yikes, that blows some serious monkey feathers!” Bolin waved a finger at Asami. “You go home right now and rest up, and don’t you dare come into work tomorrow. The dragon flu takes almost a week to recover from! Korra would have our heads if she knew we’d let you work while you were sick.”

Asami smiled briefly at him before suddenly shuddering and gripping the edge of her desk. “T-that sounds like a great idea, thanks for looking out for me, Bolin.”

“Asami! You were sick all along and you didn’t tell me?” Varrick looked horrified. “You _know_ Junior’s too young to be exposed to pestilence! Now I’m going to have to stop by the disinfection chamber before going home—you’re the worst godmother ever!”

“Aww, how is my favorite godchild doing?” Bolin cooed before frowning in thought. “But Varrick, Jr. is my only godchild, so technically also my least favorite godchild, right?”

“Right!” Varrick agreed before frowning. “Hey, hold on, my kid is nobody’s least favorite!”

Mako saw Asami bite her knuckle in frustration and decided to take pity on her, despite his suspicions. “Okay, well, feel better, Asami,” Mako said slowly, taking out Lin’s letter from his pocket. “Here’s Beifong’s request—”

“No! Don’t come any closer!” Asami gasped out.

Mako froze mid-step. “What’s wrong?”

She coughed forcefully several times. “I mean, I don’t want you to get sick, your work is too important to Republic City. You can give the letter to my assistant and I’ll read it tonight when I go home.”

“You mean the assistant you just fired? Uh, no thanks, I don’t trust scorned employees.”

“He’s hired again, tell Shang I was just kidding.” Asami’s voice trembled.

Distracted by Varrick and Bolin’s squabbling in the background threatening to drown out his voice, Mako glanced back at them as he asked, “Asami, are you _sure_ you’re okay?”

“Mako, for Raava’s sake, the answer is—” Asami gasped. “Yes, oh, _yes_!”

Mako blushed at her high-pitched sigh and whipped around with a wide-eyed stare. Hang on a hot damn second…

Asami’s eyes were shut, her lips parted slightly and hands clenching at her armrests. Mako immediately looked away, his face burning so hot he was half-surprised he didn’t start firebending. It’d been years since he’d seen _that_ particular expression on Asami’s face, and of course he never thought about Asami in _that_ way anymore (because that would just be weird and awkward), but it was still something he remembered distinctly. 

Mako cast his eyes around, looking at everywhere else but Asami, when he spotted something definitely familiar by the window. He nearly smacked himself in the face for his blindness—some detective he was. As it were, it explained _so_ much about what the flameo just happened. Asami looked infinitely more satisfied when he chanced a peek back at her, but her chest still heaved with every breath. Mako fought back a smirk and cleared his throat.

“Actually, I’ll give this to your assistant. Thanks for your time, Asami, I think we’ve intruded long enough. Let me know when Korra comes.” Mako paused. “Back from the Fire Nation, I mean,” he clarified, smirking when Asami’s head snapped up at his words. “We should catch up over dinner.”

“Yeah, definitely.” Asami cleared her throat, trying and failing to make it sound less husky.

“Enjoy the rest of your night.” Still smirking, Mako grabbed the oblivious, still-arguing Varrick and Bolin by the collars and practically dragged them out of the room before slamming the door shut.

 

* * *

  

Mako had just closed the door when Asami pushed back on her chair and sprang up, feet bare against the carpet as she walked over to the door and locked it. Her body still felt pleasantly weak, but Asami mustered the angriest scowl she could on her face and turned around. “I’m going to _kill_ you!”

A low laugh sounded from beneath the desk. “You can’t kill the Avatar, it’ll upset people,” Korra said as she crawled out from where she’d been hiding and stretched her arms.

“I think they’d understand if they knew what you were _doing_ while our friends were standing ten feet away!” Asami growled as she stalked toward her girlfriend, who looked infuriatingly smug.

“More like _who_ I was doing, I’d say,” Korra said, a wide grin stretched across her face as she airbended a familiar piece of fabric to spin above her palm. “It’s pretty cramped down there, Asami, you should get a desk with more legroom.”

Asami groaned and snatched her underwear back from Korra. “I hate you. So much.”

Korra wrapped her arms around Asami’s waist. “I love you,” she wheedled.

“Stop it, I can’t be mad when you look at me like that,” Asami said, rolling her eyes at Korra’s hangdog expression.

“Isn’t that the point?” Korra said, backing up to sit on Asami’s desk. Asami obligingly followed her girlfriend, standing in the space between Korra’s legs and leaning her hands on either side of her thighs. “What, you think one of them noticed?”

Asami hesitated. “Mako seemed kind of…smug.”

“So he was acting like his usual self, big deal,” Korra dismissed with a wave. “Stop overthinking with that genius brain of yours.”

“One of us has to,” Asami countered. “I can’t believe you didn’t stop. You’re evil, we should start calling you the Dark Avatar.”

Korra’s laugh sent a thrill up Asami’s spine, like it always did. “Don’t lie, you would’ve been angrier if I did stop.”

“You are _so_ much more trouble than you’re worth,” Asami said, neither confirming nor denying Korra’s claim.

“But I missed you so much while I was away, I just can’t be held accountable for my actions, ” Korra offered mock-solemnly.

“Is that your legal defense when Beifong arrests you for being a shameless exhibitionist?”

“I plead insanity, Your Honor! You see, I’m absolutely crazy about Asami Sato.”

Asami laughed despite herself. “You’re impossible.”

 “No, I’m the Avatar,” she said, leaning in for a kiss.

Asami dodged Korra’s lips to nibble at her earlobe instead. “Well, I think _the_ _Avatar_ needs to be taught some manners,” Asami said huskily into Korra’s ear, one hand sliding up Korra’s thigh.

Korra feigned shock. “Why, Ms. Sato! Here, in your office?”

Asami ran her tongue up Korra’s neck and relished in the moan it drew out. “Of course not. I’m not a complete barbarian, unlike _some_ people,” she said haughtily, hand sliding under Korra’s shirt. “That’s why I’m going home, and since I’ll be taking the next couple days off work because of the dragon flu, I’ll be stripping down…” she scraped her fingernails against Korra’s abs, eliciting a shudder, “getting into our nice, soft bed…” her lips dragged against Korra’s jawline, leaving behind red streaks of lipstick, “and showing my girlfriend just how much I missed her, again…and again…and again.” Asami emphasized each ‘again’ with a roll of her hips, pressing further into Korra when she gasped sharply and wrapped her legs around Asami.

Korra’s eyes fluttered open and Asami couldn’t tear her gaze away, mesmerized by the deep blue hue of her eyes. Silence descended comfortably upon them, both content to simply bask in the presence of the other. Korra leaned forward to nudge her nose against Asami’s in a Water Tribe kiss, smiling when she laughed.

“You’re staring,” she playfully reprimanded, kissing the corner of Asami’s mouth.

“Please, I know you like it.”

“Of course. Anything for my fans.” Korra laughed when Asami backhanded her stomach. “I believe you promised me a bed and a way to warm me up this cold night.”

Asami raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m sorry, did you think I was talking about _you_? I was actually referring to my other girlfriend.”

Korra sighed dramatically. “As if the tabloids didn’t have enough fodder about us already. Well, be sure to let her know she won’t be needed tonight—I’m all the woman you’ll ever need.” Korra gave her an exaggerated wink and flexed a bicep.

“Really? You really think that’s all it takes to get me into bed with you?”

“Hey, it’s worked before! What can I say, I guess you’re easy,” Korra drawled.

Asami’s jaw dropped in outrage. “You are _so_ going to regret saying that.”

“I’m just saying, _I_ wasn’t the one receiving visitors while my girlfriend was between my legs,” Korra said loftily.

“Excuse me? That was all _your_ doing!” Asami narrowed her eyes and leaned in to stare Korra down. “Fine, you know what? I’ll race you home. Loser has to do anything the winner wants—and I mean _anything_.”

“If you wanted to be my slave that badly, all you had to do was ask.”

Asami placed her lips right up against Korra’s ear and murmured, “I might be asking, but you’re the one who’s going to be _begging_ by the end of tonight.” She backed away and smirked at the stunned look on Korra’s face.

Korra leaped to her feet and reached for her airbender staff leaning against the wall by the window. “Alright, challenge accepted—although master airbender versus Republic City rush hour traffic won’t be much of a challenge. Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy so you won’t lose _too_ badly.”

“I designed this city. What makes you so sure I haven’t added a few shortcuts?” Asami winked. “Try to keep up, _Avatar._ ” She pressed a short kiss against Korra’s mouth and was out the door before Korra could blink.  

With a chuckle, Korra stepped up onto the windowsill and took a deep breath, letting the cold, crisp air of Republic City fill her lungs. The Fire Nation had been as welcoming and hospitable as always, but there had been a lingering discontent she couldn’t shake the entire time she had been there, an ache that only disappeared when she returned home. But home wasn’t Republic City, or Air Temple Island, or even the Southern Water Tribe—no, her years of travel taught Korra that home was where the heart was, and her heart was Asami.

Tomorrow would be a revolving door of meetings and treaties and who knows what else the Avatar was needed for, but tonight? Tonight was just for Korra and Asami—and she had all _kinds_ of plans for them after Asami conceded defeat. With a grin, Korra stepped off the edge and snapped open the glider, letting the gusts of wind lift her high above the city and guide her home.

 

* * *

 

 Outside on the steps of the building, Mako smirked at seeing the familiar silhouette of a glider soar high above. “I knew it.”

“Hmm? What was that, Mako?” Bolin asked, looking away from the taxi he’d been trying to hail.

“Nothing to worry about.” Mako threw an arm around Bolin’s shoulders. “So, I know I’m not exactly an abandoned lover, but Narook’s for dinner? It’s on me.”

“Well, you’re no Opal,” Bolin pretended to think it over. “And you don’t have Asami’s charm or Korra’s exuberance—”

“Alright, alright, I get the picture,” Mako grumbled, jabbing lightly at his brother.

“But hey, I’m never going to turn down a free meal! And wait ‘til I tell you about the newest Nuktuk mover I just shot today—which, might I mention, has a new leading lady who’s a total stunner, I should _totally_ set you two up—and I get to carry around this awesome boomerang—”

Mako smiled to himself. His brother was happy and successful, his two best friends were disgustingly in love and bound to announce an engagement any day now (But seriously. There was a wager going on and he had a hundred yuans in the pot), and he had enough blackmail against Asami to ensure the best Satomobiles for the force _and_ maybe even a customized one for himself. Life was pretty good.

“—and totally off topic, but how weird was Asami acting just now?” Bolin laughed. “She was probably just thinking of Korra, huh? Ah, young love.”

“Bro, you have _no_ idea.” 

 

* * *

( **P.S.** Asami won.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Varrick’s great new idea is a crude description of the first computer, huzzah  
> 2\. I see godparents in LoK as secondary guardians rather than religious figures. And Varrick would definitely choose the best (i.e., the wealthiest) people to be his kid’s godparents, hence, Asami and Bolin!  
> 3\. Asami is Batman, let’s be real. I can imagine her taking a page from Hiroshi’s book and creating a bunch of secret tunnels and caches underground while rebuilding the city; not for any nefarious purpose, but just in case, yanno? And also to beat her girlfriend home.


End file.
